Fargo, North Dakota, Faces Near-Record Flood Crest This Weekend
March 19, 2010, 9:44 AM EDTBy Brian K. Sullivan
March 19 (Bloomberg) -- The Red River of the North is expected to start cresting the day after tomorrow in Fargo, North Dakota, about 3 feet below last year’s record of 40.8 feet (12.4 meters), the National Weather Service said.
The river was at 31.15 feet as of 6:15 a.m. local time today and is forecast to reach 38 feet this weekend, according to the weather service’s river gauges.
“The highest stage indicated may not reflect the crest of this flood event,” the agency said in a bulletin. “Forecasts are updated daily and stage values will change as new weather and river information is used.”
The Red River forms the border between North Dakota and Minnesota and flows northward into Canada. North Dakota is the top U.S. wheat grower and is tied with Florida for the 17th largest cattle herd. Texas is first.
Last year’s record flooding killed 91,000 cattle and caused delays to the planting of some crops. The Federal Emergency Management Agency paid more than $139 million to help people in Minnesota and North Dakota recover from the flood.
Flood warnings also extend throughout the center of the U.S. following most rivers and streams from North Dakota to Tennessee, according to the weather service.
--Editors: Charlotte Porter, Kim Jordan
To contact the reporter on this story: Brian K. Sullivan in Boston at bsullivan10@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Dan Stets at dstets@bloomberg.net.
